Japan

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Japan Image File history File links Imperial_Seal_of_Japan. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article Japan#Government and politics. ...

Politics of Japan Constitution Emperor (list) Akihito Imperial Household Agency Government Prime Minister (list) Shinzo Abe Cabinet Ministries National Diet House of Councillors House of Representatives Judicial system Elections 1990 - 1993 - 1996 - 2000 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Political parties LDP - DPJ - NKP - JCP - SDP Political extremism Prefectures Fiscal policy Foreign policy / Foreign relations Human rights

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The Japanese political system has three types of elections: general elections to the House of Representatives held every four years (unless the lower house is dissolved earlier), elections to the House of Councillors held every three years to choose one-half of its members, and local elections held every four years for offices in prefectures, cities, and villages. Elections are supervised by election committees at each administrative level under the general direction of the Central Election Administration Committee. The minimum voting age for persons of both sexes is twenty years; voters must satisfy a three-month residency requirement before being allowed to cast a ballot. For those seeking office, there are two sets of age requirements: twenty-five years of age for admission to the House of Representatives and most local offices, and thirty years of age for admission to the House of Councillors and the prefectural governorship. The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article Japan#Government and politics. ... His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito. ... The following is a traditional list of Emperors of Japan. ... Akihito () (born December 23, 1933) is the current Emperor ) of Japan, the 125th person to hold that title, according to the traditional order of succession. ... The Imperial Household Agency is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japans royal family. ... The Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣 Naikaku sōri daijin) is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime Minister of the Cabinet. ... This is a historical list of individuals who have served as Prime Minister of Japan. ... {{nihongo|Shinzo Abe|安倍 晋三|Abe Shinzō|extra=pronounced [abe É•inzoː], born (September 21, 1954 – April 15, 2007) is the current Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the National Diet on September 26, 2006. ... The Cabinet (内閣, Naikaku) is the executive branch of the government of Japan. ... The most influential part of the executive of the Japanese government are the ministries. ... This article is about the Japanese legislature. ... The House of Councillors (参議院; Sangi-in) is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. ... The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... In the Judicial System of Japan, the postwar constitution guarantees that all judges shall be independent in the exercise of their conscience and shall be bound only by this constitution and the Laws (Article 76). ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on February 18, 1990. ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on July 18, 1993. ... A general election took place in Japan on October 20, 1996. ... Elections to the Shugi-In (House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000. ... Incumbent Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi A general election took place in Japan on November 9, 2003. ... Elections to the House of Councillors, the upper house of the legislature of Japan, were held on July 11, 2004. ... For a breakdown of the results by block district with maps, see Results of Japan general election, 2005 Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on 11 September 2005, about two years before the end of the term... Political parties in Japan lists political parties in Japan. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The New Komeito (Japanese: , Kōmeitō), New Komei Party (the -tō suffix means party), or NKP is a political party in Japan formed by Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ... The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English) is a political party of Japan. ... } While Japans political mainstream can be described as a one and a half party system, with the LDP being the dominant force, there is room for political extremism to the left and the right. ... The prefectures of Japan are the countrys 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one metropolis (都 to), Tokyo; one circuit (道 dō), Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures (府 fu), Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures (県 ken). ... Monetary policy pertains to the regulation, availability, and cost of credit, while fiscal policy deals with government expenditures, taxes, and debt. ... The primary responsibility for the Japanese foreign policy, as determined by the 1947 constitution, is exercised by the cabinet and subject to the overall supervision of the National Diet. ... Hi CeyCey Despite the burst of the Japanese asset price bubble in the early 1990s and the subsequent slow economic growth, Japan remains a major economic and cultural power. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... The House of Councillors (参議院; Sangi-in) is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. ...

National elections

The Diet (Kokkai) has two chambers. The House of Representatives (Shugi-in) has 480 members, elected for a four year term, 300 members in single-seat constituencies and 180 members by proportional representation in 11 block districts. In this system, each voter votes twice, once for a candidate in the local constituency, and once for a party, each of which has a list of candidates for each block district. The local constituencies are decided by plurality, and the block seats are then handed out to the parties proportionally (by the D'Hondt method) to their share of the vote, who then appoint members from their lists. Often the parties assign the block seats to unsuccessful single-seat candidates. This article is about the Japanese legislature. ... The bicameral legislature of the United States is housed in a capitol building with two wings. ... The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ... Political parties in Japan lists political parties in Japan. ... The plurality electoral system (or first past the post electoral system), is a voting system for single-member districts. ... The DHondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. ...

The House of Councillors (Sangi-in) has 247 members, elected for a six year term, 149 members in multi-seat constituencies and 98 by proportional representation. Half of the House of Councillors comes up for election every three years. The House of Councillors chamber, in the National Diet Building in Tokyo. ... A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ...

For many years Japan was a one party dominant state, but in 1993 the dominant Liberal Democratic Party was defeated by a coalition government. They soon regained power. Due to the proportional voting system it is unlikely that Japan will develop an exclusive two-party system, but there is speculation that Japanese political diversity is declining. A dominant-party system is a party system where only one political party can realistically become the government, by itself or in a coalition government, because all other parties are too weak. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as Jiyū Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... A two-party system is a form of party system where two major political parties dominate the voting in nearly all elections. ...

Latest results

2005 General election

Main article: Japan general election, 2005

The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The New Komeito (Japanese: , Kōmeitō), New Komei Party (the -tō suffix means party), or NKP is a political party in Japan formed by Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ... The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English) is a political party of Japan. ... The Peoples New Party (国民新党 Kokumin Shintō) is a Japanese political party formed on August 17, 2005 in the aftermath of the defeat of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumis Japan Post privatisation bills which led to a snap election. ... The New Party Nippon (新党「日本」 Shintō Nippon) is a political party formed on August 21, 2005. ... New Party Daichi (æ–°å…š 大地 Shintō Daichi) is a political party formed on August 18, 2005. ... For a breakdown of the results by block district with maps, see Results of Japan general election, 2005 Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on 11 September 2005, about two years before the end of the term...

2004 Upper House election

Main article: Japan upper house election, 2004

The House of Councillors (参議院; Sangi-in) is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. ... The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as Jiyū Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The New Komeito (Japanese: , Kōmeitō), New Komei Party (the -tō suffix means party), or NKP is a political party in Japan formed by Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ... The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English) is a political party of Japan. ... Elections to the House of Councillors, the upper house of the legislature of Japan, were held on July 11, 2004. ...

Previous results

• House of Representatives:
  • Pre-war:
    • Japan general election, 1928
    • Japan general election, 1930
    • Japan general election, 1932
  • Post-war:
    • Japan general election, 1990
    • Japan general election, 1993
    • Japan general election, 1996
    • Japan general election, 2000
    • Japan general election, 2003

The 16th General Election of Japan of the House of Representatives was the first election in Japan after the diet passed the General Election Law. ... The 17th General Election of Japan of the House of Representatives took place in Japan on February 20, 1930. ... The 18th General Election of Japan of the House of Representatives took place in Japan on February 20, 1932. ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on February 18, 1990. ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on July 18, 1993. ... A general election took place in Japan on October 20, 1996. ... Elections to the Shugi-In (House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000. ... Incumbent Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi A general election took place in Japan on November 9, 2003. ...

Pre-reform electoral districts

In the 1980s, apportionment of electoral districts still reflected the distribution of the population in the years following World War II, when only one-third of the people lived in urban areas and two thirds lived in rural areas. In the next forty-five years, the population became more than three-quarters urban, as people deserted rural communities to seek economic opportunities in Tokyo and other large cities. The lack of reapportionment led to a serious underrepresentation of urban voters. Urban districts in the House of Representatives were increased by five in 1964, bringing nineteen new representatives to the lower house; in 1975 six more urban districts were established, with a total of twenty new representatives allocated to them and to other urban districts. Yet great inequities remained between urban and rural voters. Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Tokyo , literally Eastern capital)   is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, the home of the Japanese Imperial Family, and the de facto[1] capital of Japan. ...

In the early 1980s, as many as five times the votes were needed to elect a representative from an urban district compared with those needed for a rural district. Similar disparities existed in the prefectural constituencies of the House of Councillors. The Supreme Court had ruled on several occasions that the imbalance violated the constitutional principle of one person-one vote. The Supreme Court mandated the addition of eight representatives to urban districts and the removal of seven from rural districts in 1986. Several lower house districts' boundaries were redrawn. Yet the disparity was still as much as three urban votes to one rural vote. The Supreme Court of Japan (最高裁判所, Saikō-Saibansho; shortly called 最高裁, Saikō-Sai), located in Chiyoda, Tokyo is the highest court in Japan. ...

After the 1986 change, the average number of persons per lower house representative was 236,424. However, the figure varied from 427,761 persons per representative in the fourth district of Kanagawa Prefecture, which contains the large city of Yokohama, to 142,932 persons in the third district of largely rural and mountainous Nagano Prefecture. Kanagawa Prefecture ) is a prefecture located in the southern Kanto region of Honshu, Japan. ... Nagano Prefecture (長野県; Nagano-ken) is located on Honshu island, Japan. ...

The greatest success of the 1993 reform government under Hosokawa Morihiro was a change in the system whereby 200 members (reduced to 180 beginning with the 2000 election) are elected by proportional representation in multi-member districts or "blocs" while 300 are elected from single-candidate districts. Morihiro Hosokawa (細川 護煕 Hosokawa Morihiro, b. ...

Still, according to the October 6, 2006 issue of the Japanese newspaper Daily Yomiuri,"the Supreme Court followed legal precedent in ruling Wednesday that the House of Councillors election in 2004 was held in a constitutionally sound way despite a 5.13-fold disparity in the weight of votes between the nation's most densely and most sparsely populated electoral districts".

Prefectural and local elections

• Tokyo gubernatorial election, 2004
• Tokyo prefectural election, 2001
• Tokyo prefectural election, 2005

Tokyo held an election for governor on April 13, 2004. ... Tokyo held a prefectural election for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on June 24, 2001. ... Tokyo Prefecture held an election for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on 3 July 2005. ...

See also

• Electoral calendar
• Election (general article)
• Political funding in Japan
• Japanese diet

Japanese general elections

1890 • 1892 • (March) 1894 • (Sep) 1894 • (March) 1898 • (Sep) 1898 • 1902 • 1903 • 1904 • 1908 • 1912 • 1915 • 1917 • 1920 • 1924 • 1928 • 1930 • 1932 • 1936 • 1937 • 1942 • 1946 • 1947 • 1949 • 1952 • 1953 • 1955 • 1958 • 1960 • 1963 • 1967 • 1969 • 1972 • 1976 • 1979 • 1980 • 1983 • 1986 • 1990 • 1993 • 1996 • 2000 • 2003 • 2005 • This electoral calendar lists the national/federal direct elections in the countries listed in the list of countries. ... An election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. ... In Japan, the problem of political funding was intensely debated during the late 1980s and early 1990s, partly as a result of revelations following the Recruit scandal of 1988-89. ... The National Diet of Japan (国会; Kokkai) is Japans legislature. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... The 16th General Election of Japan of the House of Representatives was the first election in Japan after the diet passed the General Election Law. ... The 17th General Election of Japan of the House of Representatives took place in Japan on February 20, 1930. ... The 18th General Election of Japan of the House of Representatives took place in Japan on February 20, 1932. ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on February 18, 1990. ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on July 18, 1993. ... A general election took place in Japan on October 20, 1996. ... Elections to the Shugi-In (House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000. ... Incumbent Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi A general election took place in Japan on November 9, 2003. ... For a breakdown of the results by block district with maps, see Results of Japan general election, 2005 Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on 11 September 2005, about two years before the end of the term...

External links

• Adam Carr's Election Archive
• Daily Yomiuri Online: Inequality at the polls must be corrected